Criminal Investigation authorities have connected the killing of Reverend Julius Ndumia to a dangerous armed criminal group infamous for committing violent robberies while wearing security forces attire.
According to a recent announcement on Tuesday, the DCI stated that continuous forensic and intelligence-based inquiries have definitively linked the killing to a gang initially identified by investigators in July 2022.
The DCI reported that the organization has previously been associated with violent robberies utilizing an L1A1 weapon, which law enforcement recovered in 2024.
The criminal group is recognized for executing violent armed robberies with an L1A1 firearm while posing as security personnel,” the DCI mentioned in their statement.
Reverend Ndumia lost his life during the night of May 3, 2026, at PCEA Tabuga Church in Nakuru North when assailants reportedly invaded the church premises.
Investigators now suspect that the same criminal group could be responsible for a robbery that took place on May 1, 2026, during which Sh600,000 was purportedly transferred from a victim’s bank account to mobile numbers linked to the organization.
The agency further stated that authorities were examining a wider pattern of violent assaults and robberies reported in Nakuru County and neighboring regions.
Authorities are investigating a pattern of violent attacks and robberies within Nakuru County and its surrounding areas. It is believed that the same organization is responsible for multiple of these occurrences,” the DCI indicated.
Investigators mentioned that advanced forensic examinations and scientific analyses intended to place suspects at the crime scene were still progressing as authorities work to construct a more robust prosecution case.
Advanced forensic examinations, including scientific analyses aimed at placing suspects at the crime scene, continue as efforts to build a solid case for prosecution proceed,” the statement added.
The most recent update arrives two days after the DCI revealed the arrest of two individuals in connection with the murder.
In a previous statement released on May 9, detectives reported that the suspects had been apprehended following comprehensive forensic and intelligence-driven investigations conducted by personnel from the Homicide Unit, Crime Research and Intelligence Bureau, Operations Support Unit, and officers from Nakuru North.
According to investigators, the perpetrators gained entry into the church office and the clergyman’s residence prior to stealing cash, mobile phones, and other valuable items.
During the assault, the clergyman was killed while church security guard Benard Nyamwaka suffered severe injuries and was hospitalized.
The DCI stated that the two suspects were found with items suspected to have been taken from the murdered clergyman.
They are currently detained, facing interrogation,” the agency mentioned in the previous update.
Investigators also revealed that certain evidence under forensic review seemed to indicate the presence of an extensive criminal network connected to the assault.
A postmortem examination performed on May 6 by Nakuru-based pathologist Titus Ngulungu determined that Reverend Ndumia died from suffocation and serious head injuries received during the attack.
According to the pathologist, the clergyman had multiple injuries on the head and neck, including a significant fracture at the back of the skull, likely caused by a blunt instrument.
The cause of death was suffocation from pressure on the neck, which prevented proper breathing, combined with head injuries that resulted in substantial blood loss,” Ngulungu stated after the examination.
The DCI confirmed that investigations remain ongoing and encouraged the public to keep assisting detectives by providing information that could help identify and apprehend all individuals involved in the killing.